


Mutiny

by OverconfidentFanficWriter



Category: RWBY
Genre: AU where Clover makes good decisions for once in his life, After a LOT of goading, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Clover dear I love you but you are a damn cop, I actually started writing this before episode 12 and expected this to be the angst version, M/M, Stream of Consciousness, UA (universe alteration), Very little editing on this cause I wanted to post it before I talked myself out of it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:47:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22421317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OverconfidentFanficWriter/pseuds/OverconfidentFanficWriter
Summary: The hitlist never came. Some things turned out the same. Some things went a bit better.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen & Clover Ebi, Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Comments: 6
Kudos: 67





	Mutiny

He should have known. Ironwood had told him Qrow was a loose cannon when he'd partnered them together. _Just....keep him safe._

A little friendliness is okay. A little camaraderie is okay. Hell, even sleep with the bastard if you want to. Just don't get attached.

Qrow's angry. Of course he's angry. Abandoning Mantle seems wrong, but Ironwood has to know what he's doing, he always does. Clover's used to all the councilmen and rich people and Jacques Schnees of the world obliviously complaining about how his measures were too strict or repressive, not knowing he was going to save them all. He thought that once everyone knew, that would change. But apparently not.

"Did you know about this?" Robyn's snarling, and right now, he should probably be more focused on her. She's the one more likely to stick a bolt in his throat. Her loyalty was always to Mantle, not Atlas.

Ruby's his niece, and a Huntress, yes, but she's still so young. Still a child in many ways. He can't understand why Qrow can't see that.

"Ruby's still....she doesn't know what she's saying. If Salem is coming, we need to run now. We can't wai-."

"Bullshit!" That's Qrow, biting and betrayed. "If she's coming soon, then we need to get everyone out that we can! Not waste time arresting people just trying to help and declaring martial law!"

"He is!" Clover protests. "He's making sure! He can't risk everyone on Atlas by waiting until she arrives or letting..." He pauses. Robyn has unfolded her crossbow and is pointing it right at his head.

"Turn this ship around and bring us back to Mantle." Robyn says, her voice far too cool for her demeanor. "I highly doubt he'll abandon everyone if one of his precious Ace Ops is down here suffering with us."

"He should." Clover says. "He will. It's not about Atlas and Mantle, it's about who he can save."

"Are you sure about that?" Qrow answers, hand on his own Harbinger. So that's how it's gonna be, two to one, in an enclosed space. The odds are against him and his bolas are being used to restrain Callows. Perhaps it's better to just surrender now.

Tyrian cackles. So many innocent deaths tonight, and Tyrian Callows gets to walk free, laughing at it all.

Tyrian's laugh is cut off, gurgling as Kingfisher's hook rips through his windpipe, and as he dies, he looks genuinely afraid. Good. There was no point in letting him live anyway. Those restraints should be used for criminals who actually deserved to be taken alive.

Qrow has the audacity to look shocked. Why? He knew of all people how evil Callows had been and he _still_ wanted to follow procedure? Did nothing matter to Qrow except his own principles?

Maybe he'd misjudged him after all. Maybe he wasn't worth caring about. Maybe this was a good thing. And maybe if he found enough excuses, it would make up for the way his heart tears when Qrow looks at him like that.

He unwinds the bolas as he stands up, Qrow and Robyn against him. The first bolt is fired next to his head, a warning shot. There won't be another.

"I can't let you-" he starts to say, but there's no time. Qrow's snarl of rage cuts him off, his blade already in tonfa mode, leaping forward.

The airship ducks and weaves as the three fight, too little room to even swing their weapons fully, cutting ally and enemy alike, tripping and sliding on blood and the corpse still rolling on the floor. The pilots protest, weaving the plane, but they don't listen. All their careful Huntsmen training failing them in favor of terror and desperation. Huntsmen were never meant to fight like this, like rats in a too-small cage, biting and clawing and scared. This was never meant to happen.

When Qrow pins him, his instinctive response is relief. Just stand down. Let it be over. Go back to Atlas or to Mantle and let the chips fall where they may.

No, he needs to do this, he needs to do better. He trusts Ironwood, doesn't he? He's loyal. He's good. He has to.

He keeps fighting, keeps wriggling. They tie him and lock him into place and he still fights, halfway considers breaking his thumbs to get out, but doesn't. The ship lands in Mantle. He doesn't seem to remember Robyn threatening the pilots. Maybe they're scared. Maybe they're rebelling.

Qrow picks up Tyrian and leaves him on the side of the street. He turns around and picks up the lead on the bolas, and his red, earnest eyes are just so tired. "You don't want a broken Aura here, Clover. Please."

He should continue fighting. He has his orders.

He doesn't. He just sits and waits while Qrow ties him to a nearby lamppost.

Robyn starts herding people on to the transport. The pilots help. Guess it's mutiny after all. And when it takes off towards Atlas, she stays behind. She has more people to save, more Dust shops to raid for emergency heat, more Grimm to kill.

Qrow starts to leave with her, and then turns around.

"When we first met, you ignored the Grimm and arrested the people trying to help. Has that changed?"

He's loyal to James, loyal to Atlas. Even if his feelings say otherwise, he has to press on, because sometimes the hardest decisions are the right ones. That's the job. That's what he signed up for.

He never signed up for having someone who might actually care if he lived or died tonight. He never signed up for a friend. He never signed up for someone who might hesitate when there was a choice between helping Clover and doing the right thing, simply because Clover meant something to him.

Atlas or Mantle. Military or Huntsman. James or Qrow.

Screams echo through the streets. More Grimm. More people freezing to death. No way to get to Atlas anyhow.

And Qrow looking at him, _pleading_ for him to do the right thing this time.

After far too long, Clover nods. "Okay. We'll finish this later, just this once. Once we're done evacuating and we get to Atlas, no guarantees."

Qrow smiles, gently, and Clover's entire body seems to warm.

"I'll take that." He hands Kingfisher back and unties him. "Let's get moving."

The morning will be different, he knows that. They'll be back in Atlas. He'll be loyal to James. He'll do his job right, then, arrest the criminals, restore order, save the kingdom.

But right now, they're flying across the city, saving people, covering each other's backs as the world falls down around them, and it's the best feeling in the world.


End file.
